Needle feeler for looms



I 1,639, 50 1927' L. F. HOFFMAN ET m. 8

' NEEDLE FEELER FOR LOOMS Filed Jan. 2,1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 23,1921

. L. F. HOFFMAN ET AL NEEDLE FEELER FOR Looms Patented Aug. 23, 192.7.

UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

LOUIE F. HOFFMAN AND WALTER H. WAKEFIELD, OF WORCESTER,

KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, OF WORCESTER,

ASSIGNORS TO CROMIPTON &

MASSACHUSETTS,

MASSA- CHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

NEEDLE -FEELER FOR LO OMS.

Application filed January 2, 1925.

This invention relates to weft detectors for looms and more particularly to the type cooperating with a specially formed bobbin and arranged to be given varying degrees of sensitiveness depending upon which one of a plurality of shuttles is active.

When weaving certain types of fabrics which require very fine and also very coarse yarn in the weft it is sometimes found that a weft detector having a fixed adjustment is not suitable for use on both kinds of weft inasmuch as a setting which would leave a permissible amount of waste when indicating with large yarn would leave too much waste when indicating exhaustion of the line weft.

It is the principal object of our'present invention to provide a weft detector of the type specified wherein the pressure of the parts cooperating with the bobbin can. be varied in timed relation with the active shuttle.

It is a further object of our invention to provide a weft detector which shall have a sensitiveness variable under control of the shifting shuttles and also permitting excessive forward motion of the detector when toe latter is engaged by a misplaced shuttle.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, our invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying lrawings wherein we have shown one form of our invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a loom having our invention applied thereto, 7

F ig. 2 is a vertical section on line 22 of I F 1 looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail horizontal section taken on line 3 3 of 'Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged end elevation of the detector looking in the direction of arrow 4;, Fig. 1, the lay, shuttle,

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. i,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of certain parts shown .in Fig. t ina different position, and Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on line 7 -7 of Fig. 6.

Referring more particularly to, Figs. 4, 5, and6 it will be seen that we have provided a stand-1O secured in any approved manner .ishing mechanism,

and bobbin being p Serial no. as.

to the loom frame 11 and having bolted thereto an upstanding plate 12'having an overhanging arm 13. Said plate is provided in the lower portion of a carrier 16. A bolt 17 passing through the plate 12 and carrier 16 has a head on the rear end thereof to engage the plate and has a nut 18 by means of which a spring adjusted. Said spring yieldingly positions the carrier .16 and permits the sameto move forwardly when engaged by an abnormally placed bobbin or part of the loom.

-.with a rib 1st which fits in a notch formed 11 19 on said bolt may be The carrier is provided with a rearwardly I extending guide 20 and an upper guide 21 spaced therefrom, said guides being drilled as indicated in Fig. 5 to receive a plurality of detectors 22 each of which has a lower leg, the rear end of which extends beyond the end of the guide 20, and a shorter upper leg which protrudes slightly beyond the upper face of the carrier 16.

Associated with the stand 10 isbearing 23 in which is slidably mounted a block to the upper end of which is pivoted at the central portion thereof. as, at 25 a, lever 26. The forward end of said lever extends over the upper ends of the detectors 22 as inclicated in Fig. 5 nected by means of link 27 to a weft replenpreferably of the form shown in Patent No. 1,030,748.. The block 24 receives a regular reciprocating motion and when all-of thedetectors 22 are removed from under the lever 26 the latter will move downwardly without depressing the link 27 but when one of the detectors is under said lever the' downward motion of the block 24 will depress the link 27 to give an indication of substantial weft exhaustion. v

vEach of the detectors 22 has a vertical por tion 28 and there is provided .a plurality of weights WV described hereinafter and having ortions thereof in contact with the vertical parts of the detector wires rearwardly in yieldingposition. The matter thus far described is substantially the same as shown in application serial No. 643,211 and forms no part ofour present invention. I v

V In carrying out our invention we provide means for varying the pressure 0f the weights W against the detector wires so that .while the other end is conto hold the latter I under certain conditions, as when very line yarn is being woven, the pressure will be has the upper end thereof connected to lever light and under other conditions, as when 6 1. The spring 79 is relatively heavy and relatively coarse yarn is being wovem the holds the roll 78- against either the tappets pres'su'reWvill be greater; As shown in Figs. or the slide bar and a relatively lighter 5 6 and 7 thevguide 20 has extending there spring 8 1 isprovided between thehub 85 70 from a hub 50 through which extends the reand the lever 64. Spring 8 1 norma y tends duced bearing 51 of an eccentric 52. Said to move said lever 641 to the right as shown in eccentric is provided with a pair of grooves Fig. 4. i V 53 which receive the depending open bear- As shown in Figs. 1 and 5 the detector is a ings 5 1 and 55, respectively, of brace 56.- set to detect'for heavy yarn, and for the pur- 75' The lower end of open bearing 55 is provided poses of illustration it is assumed that the With a finger 57 which extends behind the first and third boxes receive shuttles with vertical portions of the detectors 22 and an heavy yarn and that boxes two and four offset 58 which is positioned to be engaged receive shuttles supplied with fine'yarn. The

by a stud 59 extending from a'portion of the tappets 8O correspond to the line yarn and S0 transferrer arm indicated at 60. that partof the bar-72 against which the The weights W are loosely mounted on ecface 7 8 may press corresponds to the coarse centric 52 and are restrained against end yarnxwThe detector cooperates; -J----lnotion---b ythe"depending open bearings 54 cially" formedbobbin having holes drilled and 55, each weight having a pressure lintherein'in accordance with either Patent No. 85 gel- 61 to engage the vertical portion 28 of 1,220,685or Patent No.-1',337,706-and whenthe corresponding detector 22. ever the yarn is sufii'ciently depleted to per- The bearing 51 is extended beyond hub lnit one of the wires 22 under the actionof and has'secured thereto a pinion 62 which its weight'to'enter one of the holes, thelever moves with the eccentric 52. A. stud 68 ex- 26 will be held up as previously described to tending from the guide 20' closely, adjagive an indication of weft exhaustion 7 1.196115 lheinotch ,15 :has pivoted thereon rack 1 "d' v l1eI1""'tl1e" active "shuttle oining-es so that lever 64 the upper end of which is provided the weaving of" coarse rweftceases anda 7 V Blithek llclitnetl i 65iwhich ineslrwi-th the tooth shuttle carrying "fine" "yarn" beeches" active;

lever is provided with. an arm 66 by means of face 78 will rest on one of the tappets which the lever'is oscillated on the stud 63. which will produce a corresponding right The mechanism for moving the lever 64 hand motion of the lever 64 to permit the is shown in Figs. 1 2, and 3, where it will be rack teeth 65 to give the pinion 62 half a 35 seen that a rocker shaft 67 having secured rotation; The eccentric 52 will thereby be thereto a picker foot 68 is rotatably mounted thrown rearwardly and the centers of the on the loom frame 11. A box rod 69 of any weights WV will also be moved rearwardly approved construction carries at the upper to bring the point of support of said weights end thereof a multiple of boxes, four bones more nearly in vertical alignment with their 40 beingshown in the present instance. Secenters I of gravity. Thepressu-re of the cured to the boX rod is an arm 70 the upper fingers 61 against the wires will therefore be 7 end of whichis connected as at 71 to a slide reduced'and the layer of yarn on the bobbin 72 the lower end of which is guided in a slide can become thinner before being penetrated bearing 73, said slide bar being held in the by one ofthe detectors 22 than is the case 45 bearing by plates 74. The slide bearing has with the coarser-yarn.

a support 75 which is secured to the picker From the'foregoing it will bei seen that foot 68 so that'the box rod, slide bar, and we have provideda weft detector foruse slide bearing move as a unit about the rockwith a specially formed bobbin provided er shaft 67. with means for varying the pressure of said i 50 The mechanism for determining when the detector againstthe bobbin so that when pressure of the detector wires should be recoarse yarn-,i's-being woven a relatively high duced or increased. comprises a lever 7 6 pivotpressure of the detector is maintained but ed as at 7 7 to thepicker foot and having a when finer yarn is being woven a relativel roll 78 which is normally held toward the lower pressure can lee-used. It will also be posed betweensaid lever 76' and the'picker ing the detector in its degrees of sensitive foot. Removably secured to the slide block ness by means which permit the use of two are tappets 80 which are held thereto by or more shuttles of one character of filling, screws 81, said tappets being the same height the tappets being changeable from one posi- 60 when it is desired to have but two degrees of tion to 'another to permit the shuttles to pressure or being of variable heights when occupy any desired position in the boxes. it is desired to have more degrees of pres- It will be further noted that the guide for sure. Attached to the lower end of the'lever the detector when engaged by a misplaced 76 is a flexible connector 82 which extends part will move forwardly and carry the rack 6 across the loom and around a sheave 83 and andfpiniontherewith to keep said parts ;-in 136 1 0f the pinion 62. The lower end of the rack the box rod 69 will be moved so that the 95 V 55 Slide b ock 72 by m a s Of pring n er seen that we have provided meansfor varyable by the boxes each provided with a mesh. Furthermore, since the axisof stud 63 is substantially in-line with the rib 14 the spring 84L exerts no force turn the guide 20.

Having thus described our invention it will be apparentthat changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention and we do not wish to be limited to thevdetails herein disclosed, but what we claim is:

1. In a loom having a plurality of shuttles, shifting shuttle boxes to move any one of the shuttles to active position, a detector to cooperate with the shuttle whichis active, and means coordinated with the shuttle boxes and dependent upon which shuttle is active to vary the pressure of the detector against the surfaceto be detected.

2. In combination, a weft detector having a plurality of elements to cooperate with a specially formed bobbin, a plurality of shuttles each provided with a specially formed bobbin and capable of becoming active one at a time, shifting shuttle boxes to determine which shuttle shall be active and means acting in timed relation with the shuttle boxes and dependent upon which shuttle is active to vary the pressure of said elements against the bobbin.

3. In a loom, shifting shuttle boxes, a plurality of shuttles to active position and each provided with a specially formed bobbin, a weft detector to cooperate with the bobbin of the active shuttle to detect for weft exhaustion, said detector being capable of exerting varying degrees of pressure on the bobbins, and means operating in timed relation with'the shuttle boxes to vary the pressure exerted on the bobbin in the active shuttle by the detector. I

4. In a loom having a plurality of shifting shuttle boxes, and a plurality of shuttles movable to active position one at a time and bobbin of special construction, a weft detector having elements to enter portions of the specially formed bobbins to indicate weft exhaustion, and means under control of the shuttle boxes to vary the force acting to move the elements into the specially formed parts of the bobbin.

5. In a loom, shifting shuttle boxes, in combination, a detector having a plurality of detecting elements, a plurality of shuttles for the boxes each of which may become active and each of which carries a bobbin having a portion to receive one of the detecting elements at indication of weft exhaustion, and yielding means acting on the detecting into the portion of the bobbin arranged to receive them, said means being operatively connected to the boxes and movable thereby tending to for the boxes each mov' elements tending .to move them,

to vary the degree of pressure exerted on the bobbin of the active shuttle, the pressure being dependent upon .which shuttle is active. 7 r

6. In a. loom, in combination, shifting shuttle boxes carrying shuttles any one of which may become active each shuttle having a bobbin therein, a weft detector to cooperate with each shuttle when active and dependent for its operation upon the degree of pressure exerted thereby on the bobbin of the active shuttle, means moving with the shuttle boxes and defining surfaces ofdifferent heights, and means coop-'- erating with said first named means and operativel connected with the detector to vary the degree of pressure exerted thereby on the bobbin of the active shuttle.

7. In a loom, I shuttle boxes, shuttles for the boxes each having a bobbin therein, aplurality of surfaces of different heights movable with said shuttle boxes, a weft detector to cooperate with the active shuttle and dependent for its operation upon the degree of pressure exerted thereby on the bobbin of the active shuttle, and means cooperating with said surfaces of different heights to vary the dein combination, shifting V gree of pressure exerted by the detector on i the bobbin to be detected.

8. In a loom, in combination, shifting shuttle boxes, shuttles for the boxes each having a bobbin therein, means defining a plurality of surfaces of different heights movable with said shuttle boxes, a lever to cooperate with each of said surfaces of different heights, a detector dependent for its operation upon the degree of pressure exerted thereby on the bobbin of the active shuttle, and'means controlled by said lever to vary the pressure of said detector against the bobbin of the active shuttle .as said lever ceases to cooperate with one of said surfaces and cooperates with another of said surfaces ofdifferent height.

9. In a loom, in combination, a plurality of shifting shuttle boxes carrying shuttles each having a bobbin and each of which may become active, a lever, a plurality of stops of different heights movable with the shifting shuttle boxes and effective to give said lever different angular positions, a weft detector, dependent for its operation upon the degree of pressure exerted thereby on the bobbin of the active shuttle, and means to vary the pressure of said detector on the bobbin of the active shuttle as the lever changes its angular position. I j

10. In a loom, in combination, shifting shuttle boxes, a plurality of shuttles each of which may become active, a plurality of stops of different heights movable with said shifting shuttle boxes, a device cooperating with said stops to assume different positions, a detector to cooperate with they exerted;thereby-on the elements.

active shuttle and dependent for its operation upon the degree of pressure exerted thereby on the bobbin of the active shuttle, and means to vary the pressure. of said detector on the bobbin of the active shuttle as said device changes its position.

11. In a Weft detector for looms having a shuttle with a specially formed bobbin therein, said detector comprising a plurality of individually movable detecting elements to cooperate With the bobbin and dependcut for indicating movement upon the pressure exerted by the elements against'the bobbin, Weighted means cooperating With the elements and determining the pressure exerted by said elements on the bobbin, and

, a support for said weights movable relapressure tively to the elements to vary the therein, said i In testimony 12. Ina Weft detector for=l0oms having a shuttle With. a specially ,formed bobbin detector comprising a plurality of individually movable detecting elements dependent for indicating movement upon the pressure exerted by the elements against the bobbin, a freely H1O"2tbl 6"WGlgl1t for each element, a pivotal support for each Weight, the Weights determining the pres sure exerted by the elements on and means to shift the position of the pivotal support for the Weights to Vary the the bobbin,

pressure exerted thereby against the ele ments.

affixed our signatures.

whereof We have hereunto WALTER H. WAKEFIELD. r 

